Three judges camp in Masaka to review 45 criminal appeals
Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo together with justice Remmy Kasule, Justice Ezikiel Muhanguzi and justice Dr Winfred Nabisindi during opening of Court of Appeal criminal session at Masaka High Court on September 16, 2019. PHOTO BY WILSON KUTAMBA
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In response his, Justice Owiny-Dollo promised to address the problem of missing files as soon as electronic files system is installed. He challenged Mr Kasibante to avail evidence of convicted civil servants who are still earning monthly salaries.
The Court of Appeal criminal session has opened up at Masaka High Court in a bid to clear the case backlog in Masaka Sub Region.
To achieve this, the judiciary has lined up three judges of the Court of Appeal criminal sessions for the Masaka circuit.
While addressing stakeholders at Masaka High Court on Monday, the Deputy Chief Justice, Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo, said the session that starts on September 16, will run in a series until October 24.
The Court of Appeal judges including; Lady Justice Elizabeth Musoke, Justice Remmy Kasule and Justice Ezekiel Muhanguzi will be stationed in Masaka for 30 days to review 45 criminal appeals. These include; 20 for murders, 16 for defilement, four for rape, four for robbery and one for manslaughter.
Justice Owiny-Dollo blamed the backlog on limited capacity of Court of appeal judges asking the public to task Parliament and other arms of government to increase the number of judges.
“Court of Appeal has only 15 judges who are to serve 40 million Ugandans and this has caused delay of appeal cases. In my own view I call it injustice in that sense, we task parliament and other arms of government to avail robust justice by increasing the number of judges,” he said.
Stakeholders led by Charles Kasibante, the deputy executive director of South Buganda Anti-Corruption Organisation asked the deputy chief justice to prevail over continuous vice of missing files in courts of law.
“We constantly receive cases of missing court files at a daily basis as well as convicted civil servants who are still on payroll, we seek your indulgence my lord for sanity in our country,” he said
In response his, Justice Owiny-Dollo promised to address the problem of missing files as soon as electronic files system is installed. He challenged Mr Kasibante to avail evidence of convicted civil servants who are still earning monthly salaries.
